


The Darkness and the Past

by Yuna_McHill



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Adventure, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Dead Riveras can go to the living world, Enough of tags and on with the story!, Gen, Miguel has psychic powers, One character has psychopathic tendencies..., Revenge, dealing with the past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-05-01 16:42:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14524896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuna_McHill/pseuds/Yuna_McHill
Summary: Coco AU/FT (Future Timeline). Miguel gets kidnapped by three brothers who are illegitimate offsprings of Ernesto de la Cruz and bent on revenge on what he has done to their name. Can a retired cop and the dead Riveras find the boy before it's too late for him?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EndlessExistentialCrisis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndlessExistentialCrisis/gifts).



** The Darkness and the Past **

 

AN: Dearies, dearies, dearies... Welcome to another story, created by a wicked spell-bound feather and bewitched thoughts. Coco, in my opinion one of the best movies Pixar has ever created, is now the victim of my crazy mind and they are all in for a wild and emotional ride. *Please, Riveras! Don't hurt me with your shoes! I still love you, so much!*

 

I don't have any rights for COCO, except for the delusional original characters in this. And now get your flashlights and charms ready, as we venture into... The Darkness and the Past.

 

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

 

The sun was already starting to sink behind the mountain line surrounding the little town of Santa Cecilia, colouring the sky and the clouds in various shades of pink, orange and red. A slight wind had come up, cooling the faces of the musicians at the Plaza Mariachi, who had played there all day, including a young boy sitting atop a wall, a guitar in his lap. _Miguel._

 

He smiled brightly, revealing a little gap in his teeth and a dimple on the left corner of his mouth as he thankfully turned his bronze coloured face into the crisp air blowing from the mountains. Miguel Rivera gently picked up his handmade guitar, running his fingers over the colourful details he decorated it with. They reminded him of the ornaments on the skeletal face of his beloved _papá_. Héctor...

 

He gave the cords a strum. Letting out a happy sigh, the boy cleared his throat and started to sing. He had been working on new songs, still taking refuge in his hide-out, although his family now openly accepted music in the household, for work and inspiration. The song he was singing now had been one of the first ones he had written after arriving back in the living world.

 

It spoke of love through the ages, the importance of remembering and family. After the song had ended, Miguel put down the instrument and – seemingly out of impulse – extended a hand, only to blindly grasp air beside him. "Wasn't that good, Dante? What do you think, boy? Dante?", he asked, but only the wind answered him.

 

The boy winced a little and laid his head back. He thought of everything that had happened, how it had changed his whole life forever. After his unexpected visit to the other side, something frightening and at the same time awe-inspiring had occurred. The young Rivera had discovered that he could see ghosts. Not only perceive their energy, but actually see their appearances and even talk to them if he wanted. At first, he had been scared out of his wits, but he had soon learned to enjoy it and be proud of his exceptional gift.

 

Although his new-found psychic abilities had given him the peace of mind that he had truly saved his _papá_ Héctor, he still felt miserable at times. Sometimes, Miguel missed his dead family so much that he would lay curled up on his bed all day, just crying, refusing to do anything. He would miss Imelda, his fiery but good-hearted _mamá_ , alongside her impressive alebrije Pepita, his sweet _tía_ Rosita... and Dante. His brave and loyal xolo friend had been forced to stay behind in the Land of the Dead, since he had officially become a spirit guide. Miguel was a strong believer in destiny, but still he sometimes wished everything had gone so very different...

 

Miguel felt tears trickling down his face. He decided that this was one of his more 'sensible' days. The boy wiped his wet eyes with his sleeve and jumped from the wall, securing his guitar on his back with a strap. "Papá Héctor wouldn't want me to cry...", he told himself, like every time that he lost control over his emotions. It was starting to get increasingly dark and he wanted to get home before his parents chewed him out on being late. And not even speaking of his abuelita... Miguel decided to take one of his short-cuts he had frequently used to get from his house to the plaza in the past. He felt confident as he jogged through the rows of dark unused houses. He was already nearing the end of it, when...

 

"Got you, you little scum!", a rough voice behind him suddenly sneered and for a few seconds, he couldn't breathe as someone tore at the back of his hoodie. "What's the meaning of this?! Let me go, let me go! H-", Miguel protested instinctively, but a strong hand clamped tightly around his mouth, reducing every sound to a muffled whimper. The boy's heart sank like a stone and he lost all energy for a moment. He was being kidnapped! His attacker put him in a lock-hold and slowly forced him to the floor. The little Rivera tried to wiggle out of the grip or kick out, do something, but the weight on him was too big. Miguel let out a strained sob, his eyes were rolling around like crazy in their sockets. He was terrified. "So, mocoso, and now sweet dreams!", his kidnapper chuckled menacingly. _Mamá! Papá! HELP!!!_ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a big stone being lifted, aiming for his head. _No, por Dios, no!_ PANG! Pain exploded, then his trembling body stilled as his world was plunged into darkness.

 

*

 

Meanwhile in the colourful Land of the Dead, things were happier for the deceased Rivera family than they had been in a long time. A very, very long time. Especially for Héctor Rivera. A hundred years of being shunned, made fun of and being close to dying for good were finally being rewarded. He had gotten to know his great-great-grandson – such a bright, talented, wonderful muchacho! -, the love of his life had forgiven him at last and most importantly, he was finally reunited with his beloved daughter. His – now not so little – Coco.

 

Héctor was lying with Imelda on their twin bed, his hands resting on her hips, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Imelda ran her bony fingers through his raven hair. Coco's father sighed happily. How much he had missed their touches and expressions of love! He in turn reached up to massage a spot above Imelda's left ear. She shuddered with joy. “ _Cariño_ , I... I'm so sorry I ever doubted you. I...“, she started to apologize. Her husband didn't let her finish, but cut her off with a deep, passionate kiss on the lips. „No, my _corazón_. Nothing is your fault. I should have never trusted Ernesto in the first place. But let's not talk about it anymore, shall we? Let's focus only on...“, he whispered consolingly.

 

All of a sudden, an overwhelming sense of dread hit him like a tidal wave. It felt as if a truck had hit him square in the chest. Héctor broke away from Imelda and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He was taking deep shaky breaths, his brown eyes wide, staring into space. The female skeleton worriedly put a hand on his shoulder, exclaiming: „Ay, mi amor! What happened?!“ Before he could answer, they heard a low growl coming from outside. „Pepita...“, Imelda whispered and the couple ran out to see what was going on. They were greeted with a sight that did nothing to calm down Héctor's sudden nerves.

 

The two alebrijes in the family were at the edge of their lawn, their bodies facing in the direction of the marigold bridge in the distance. Pepita had tensed all her muscles, her wings slightly flapping up and down as if she were getting ready to take flight. Her teeth were bared, her feline eyes small and glowing with aggression. Dante – their great-great-grandson's trusty, enthusiastic xolo – was whimpering, his bright multi-coloured skin turning into a darker shade than normal, his big eyes showed concern, but also anger.

 

Between them stood Coco, trembling. Suddenly, her cane fell to the floor and she would have fallen as well, had Héctor and Imelda not rushed to her side to catch her. „What in the name of Quetzalcoatl and all the gods is going on here?!“, the Rivera matriarch called out to no one in particular, fear evident in her voice. Héctor winced internally. Speaking out the name of their creator had a very powerful effect and it was never to be used lightly. Then Coco muttered a single word that made his non-existent blood run cold: „Miguel.“

 

*

 

The air in Mexico City felt cool and humid, which could only mean a thunderstorm was on its way. Nothing out of the ordinary on a day in September. A figure – judging from its silhouette, it was female – dragged a last time on a cigarette before she reached the bottom. She put the glimmering butt out on the wet grass beside her, then slowly let the smoke escape through her mouth and nostrils. With a thoughtful look, she watched how it slowly mixed with the grey clouds above her. The woman pulled the hood of her black jacket deeper into her face and opened a liquor bottle. After taking a long swig of tequila, she leaned her body against the headstone of the grave she was sitting on.

 

She traced the letters of the name engraved on the stone. A few minutes of silence passed before she lightly began to tap on the tombstone and started to talk to nobody in particular: “You won’t believe me, I had the strangest dream tonight… It was more like flashes to be honest. There was a bird’s eye view of the Mexican State Prison, a red van… I heard music and bangs and weeping. The most horrible parts were the feels though. There was this dark, evil presence, it was horrible. And- “ Her voice began to shake and she quickly downed a bit more of liquor to make it go away. “And this fear. So much fear, despair and loneliness! Don’t ask me how, but I have a feeling that something nasty is about to happen.”

 

The visitor then huffed and stood up with a small smile. “Anyways, I’ve just come to tell you. I’ve got to go now. See you next time…” She kissed her fingertips and touched the gravestone with them, a last sentimental goodbye. After putting the bottle into her bag and taking out her car keys, she strolled towards the entrance of the cemetery. Laughing, the woman flung the keys into the air, spun about herself and caught them a second before they hit the ground. She climbed into her car – a red pickup truck – and turned the engine on, murmuring one more time “There’s definitely something about to happen…” before she turned the vehicle around and drove away. Outside, thunder rumbled ominously in the distance.

 

END CHAPTER 1

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**So, mates. This is going to wrap up Chapter 1 of The Darkness and the Past. Don’t worry, I feel horrible of making Miguel go through this, but at the same time, you must know by now that fanfiction writers love to be as cruel as possible… Let me know if you liked it in the comments. Stay safe and don’t take short-cuts, guys. Always loving you,**

**Yuna**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we learn more about what on Quetzalcoatl's living earth happened and all the Riveras basically lose their minds...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, since Coco is originally Spanglish, it gets more authentic to introduce Spanish words. I will leave the translations below:
> 
> hermano = brother  
> mocoso = brat  
> mijo = my son  
> mi amor = my love  
> cariño = darling  
> mi = my  
> querida = darling  
> madre = mother  
> Buenas noches = Goodnight  
> señora = lady, Miss  
> Vamos, chicos = Let's go, guys

The Darkness and the Past

AN: Wow, guys! I'm blown away! I never predicted that this story would take off like this! I'm really happy that you like the first chapter so much. Doing something different seems to have been a good idea. Thanks for all the appreciation and the follows, I feel like I'm not saying this often enough.

So... we already know that some horrible person has dared to put his hands on our dear Miguelito, which I feel horrible about (and kind of not...) and that is not something the Riveras are not going to stand for! We will learn a little more about this mystery man and how Miguel's family reacts to the disappearance of their boy. Starting from Chapter 3, the woman from the graveyard will step into the spotlight too.

I want to thank you all for your support and patience you always have while waiting for my stories. But now, no waiting required anymore! Let's go sleuthing with the Riveras! Onwards to Chapter 2, my fellas!!!

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

The red van was parked close to one of the walls surrounding the park, in a way that it was mostly covered by the stringy leaves and twigs of a willow growing over it. With the added darkness of the night, if someone would have decided to take a walk, coming across this place, he would not have noticed anything out of the ordinary. But how naive they would be...

A man was casually leaning against the wall, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. He wore a black vest over an orange shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. His black hair was cropped short. The sun had further tanned his brown face which might have been called handsome, had it not been for the icy look in his eyes and the aggressive scowl tugging at his chapped lips. A bruise was starting to heal around his left eye. It was obvious that he had gotten into a fight not long ago, but his general appearance told everyone that he had not been on the losing side of it. The man pushed up his sleeve on his right arm, revealing an impressive tattoo of a three-headed snake coiling around his forearm.

He sighed and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, letting his eyes wander up and down the street. A few minutes later, another man emerged from the shadows and silently stood beside him. The two gave each other a curt nod. Then the newcomer leaned forward and said: "You better have a good reason to make me do all of this..." The first man chuckled darkly and looked the other guy over. He was a little smaller than him and thin, but didn't look unhealthy. His tanned skin was as smooth as a mirror, his shoulder-long black hair carefully parted in the middle. Dark eyes looked back at him calmly. He wore a business suit, which suggested an important rank. The snouts of three snakes were barely visible over his closed sleeves.

 "Your debts with the State Prison have been taken care of. I'd suggest you stay off their radar for a time though. Do you have the... package?", the businessman quietly asked. "Don't worry, _hermano_. They'll leave us alone. And yes, I got him. Catching this _mocoso_ was easier than shooting a stray cat.", his companion answered. His Spanish accent was slightly noticeable when he spoke. "Hmm... I've told the company that I would take a one-week absence. Is that enough for you to... well, get done with him?", his brother informed him. His accent was barely noticeable. "Of course, Joaco... Although I would rather have more time. I will make him pay for everything he has done to our name... I will avenge the injustice he caused to great-great-grandfather. Now, where is Manny? He should be here already! We have a timeline to meet... ", the criminal hissed and rubbed his muscular arms to get warm. "How am I supposed to know? At least he knows where to meet us...", Joaquín grumbled.

Just when Joaquín was about to take his phone out of his pocket, a figure appeared at the end of the road. It waved at them and broke into a jog to join them. Seconds later, a young man was standing before them. He gave the brothers a nod and greeted them: "Hey, guys! Ramón, Joaco... Sorry that I let you wait. I still had to close the shop after helping a couple choose their wedding rings. That took forever..." Emmanuel or Manny was the youngest of the brothers. He was also clothed in a simple black two-piece suit, like his older brother, but which didn't look as expensive as Joaquín's. Just like his elders, he sported a three-headed snake tattoo. His dark brown hair was carefully combed and styled up with a little gel. Out of the three, his brown eyes held the most warmth. "Remind me why are we here again, please...", Manny asked. He had heard the rough outlines of his brother's plan over the phone, but he wasn't sure to have heard right...

Ramón, the oldest brother, flashed a psychotic grin and opened one of the back doors of the van. The sight took his younger siblings by surprise. Joaquín gave a quiet whistle, his eyes widening, Emmanuel gasped involuntarily and took a step back. Amidst empty soda and beer cans and black trash bags laid... Miguel. He was unconscious. His hands were tied securely on his back, his ankles were restrained as well to prevent him from fleeing. A gag was bound tightly over his mouth and firmly fixed at the back of his head. A thin dried trickle of blood ran from his hairline down his temple. "You really did it...", Joaquín muttered, unable to hide his astonishment. Manny sighed and quietly voiced his concerns: "So we are really going through with this? You really mean it. I know, we've always done some odd jobs to get by, but a kidnapping? This is more..."

For a moment it looked as if Ramón was close to grabbing his baby brother by the throat, but he left it at shooting him an indignant glare that you could almost see sparks coming out of his eyes. "Yes, Emmanuel, I really mean it! I want revenge! I want him to pay for what he has done! I will clean our name and if it's the last thing I do! Aren't you ashamed of what we've become?", he hissed. Seeing that their youngest didn't reply, he bent down and scratched Miguel on the cheek. The unconscious boy didn't even flinch. "He's totally out of it. I don't think he'll wake up before we arrive.", Ramón muttered smugly. With a last triumphant look at his little prisoner, he slammed the back doors of the van shut. "Now get into the van! We have a timeline to uphold and I want to get out of this forsaken city!", the goon growled at his companions, who instantly obliged. A minute later, the vehicle quietly roared to life and soon the night was hiding the brothers and their nefarious plans.

*

 "MIGUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!!!!!!", Tío Berto screamed into the night. "Where are you, _mijo_?! Miguel, please answer!", Enrique's cry followed, voice hoarse from yelling. Miguel's mother, Luisa, was leaning against a well, her legs too weak to support her weight any longer. She was starting to tremble, murmuring faintly: "Why are you doing this to me, Miguel?" The beautiful woman thought back to the dreadful night a year ago on Día de los Muertos. Her boy had disappeared after Mamá Elena had destroyed Miguel's guitar, they hadn't found him until the next day. But she, her husband and her brother-in-law had searched the whole town already and they had come up with nothing. Even the local gendarmes were unable to locate her son. They had been forced to abandon the search and left the Riveras alone, sincere regret on their faces. Miguel was nowhere to be seen... Her two companions approached her, their expressions bitter and tired.

 "Let's head home, _mi amor_... We won't find him today. It's night and starting to get cold. Wherever he is, he'll find a shelter from the elements. Let's search again tomorrow. Come on, Luisa...", Enrique sighed and helped his wife to her feet. Slowly and crestfallen, the three made their way back to the Rivera home. Elena was waiting for them at the entrance, her face dark with worry. "And?", she asked. This simple, monosyllabic question gave the resolves of the young mother the final blow and was enough to bring her down. With a devastated cry, Luisa threw herself into the matriarch's arms and started to sob as if she had just learned that her Miguel had died. Elena sighed deeply and quickly guided her to the dinner table, gently sitting her down on a chair. Miguel's mother slumped down on it and buried her face in her arms. "Don't worry, _cari_ _ñ_ _o_. He has to be somewhere. He wouldn't abandon us just like this. For the love of our ancestors, he came back the last time, too! Nobody could find him, but he came back... He just has to...", the boy's grandmother muttered.

But even that hopeful statement didn't help to lift the young mother's spirits. Enrique approached her, a crushed look on his face. "I'm sure he's ok, _mi_ Luisa.", he whispered and approached her. Overcome with grief, Luisa launched herself into her husband's arms and buried her face in his chest, weeping loudly. Gloria and Carmen, her sisters-in-law, had wisely put all of the little children to bed when the three had gone to search for their missing family member, so it was safe to break down. "Where's my _beb_ _é_?! I want him back, Kike! I want to hold him, I want my baby back!!!", Miguel's mother sobbed heavily, shaking on her whole body with grief and dread. Enrique held his wife tightly against him, fighting against his own tears. Her sister-in-law Gloria approached them and touched her shoulder. "Don't fret, Luisa. We will find him, no matter the cost. Have faith, _cari_ _ñ_ _o_..."

Meanwhile, cousin Abel looked over to the sofa his sister Rosa sat on. The girl hadn't spoken a word since her younger family member had disappeared. She had taken off her ballerinas and pulled her knees close to her chest. She was trembling. "Are you ok, Rosita?", her older brother asked, concerned. Rosa started sobbing, shortly overcome by fear and her aunt's intense despair. But then something changed in her. Sadness and hopelessness turned into determination and anger. The bespectacled girl wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up. "Enough!", she cried out through gritted teeth, "We can't just sit around and cry and not do anything! Our gendarmes were helpless, right? Well, how about a real squad of investigators from Mexico City, with dogs and all? If there's someone who can find Miguel, then its people who are actually specialized in finding missing persons."

 For a moment, everyone in the room was dead silent, so much so that Rosa almost regretted having spoken. Then, to the surprise of everyone in the room, Mamá Elena recovered speech first and said: "Rosita, _querida_ , I never thought I would say that, but..." Her granddaughter pulled her head between her shoulders, waiting to hear that this was the worst idea ever and that she should leave the planning to the adults. But she heard instead: "I don't have any better ideas. We have enough money for four bus tickets. I suggest... that Luisa and Enrique go, by all means, I would like to travel, too. As the matriarch of the family, I'm probably needed for the processes. And I'd like for Rosa to come with us as well... She not only had this idea, but she is also the most well-versed with modern culture out of all of us. That will be of use in the big city. We will take care of her of course, but the rest of you needs to stay here. Someone needs to keep the shop running while we're away. Riveras always keep going..."

Mamá Elena huffed and poured herself a shot glass of tequila. She had never talked so much in one go. After the initial shock to her reaction had passed, her son Berto approached her and muttered: "Whatever you decide, _madre_ , we support you.", while his wife gave Rosa a tight hug and kissed her head, tearfully. "Alright. I'll go and buy the tickets then. I suggest we go to bed early, I guess the bus will leave in the morning hours.", Miguel's father sighed, gently liberating himself from Luisa's grip and rubbing at his temples to chase away an oncoming headache. Elena gave him the money, then Enrique stumbled once again into the night. The matriarch looked at the rest of the family, looking gaunt and shaken with worry and instructed: "You heard him. Head to bed and get as much sleep as possible. Tomorrow will be a hard day for all of us. May the ancestors grant us good dreams. I will stay here until Enrique comes back. _Buenas noches..._ "

Muttering good nights, one by one the Riveras trudged into their rooms and soon the house was cast in darkness. Miguel's grandmother gulped. Even though she tried to look strong and decisive in front of her family, she was worried sick for her grandchild. Guilt resurfaced in her when she thought back to a year ago, when he had run away crying because of her. But somehow she knew deep inside her that this time it was different. Something worse had happened to their Miguelito. Way worse... Elena crossed herself and entered the ofrenda room.

The old lady took in the scenery. The altar was still there, filling the majority of the room. Although there were no flowers or food decorating the tables this time, after she had lit them, dozens of candles enveloped the ofrenda with a warm orange glow. Propped up on colourful cloth, the pictures of the deceased Riveras looked at Elena unmovingly. Her hand gently reached up to touch the photograph of her mother. The death of Mamá Coco, albeit predictable, had pained the family greatly. For a brief moment, the dark thought crossed her mind if they had to put Miguel's picture on the ofrenda soon, too…

Horrified at her own thoughts, Coco's daughter closed her eyes tightly and forced herself to think positively. Miguel was not dead nor close to dying. True, he was in trouble, but she had good faith that everything would turn out well in the end. At least she hoped so... After grounding herself, Mamá Elena opened her eyes again and did what she had come here for. She kneeled down, crossed herself and looking up into her ancestor Imelda's face, she prayed: "I implore you, ancestors. Help us find and bring Miguel back home safe and sound. He is missing and unfindable. I fear something bad has happened... Please, assist and protect us in our quest. Hear my pleas." With that, she stood back up, dried her tear-stained face and blew out the candles, before retreating back into the living room.

*

With the help of Pepita, the dead Riveras were at the Department of Family Reunions at lightning speed. The sight alone of Imelda with a worried glare in her eyes was enough for the managers to recognize that her problem was serious and immediately dispatched them to one of the clerks. It was the same one that had helped them when Miguel had paid them his unexpected visit. Imelda bent anxiously over the desk and asked: "Could you be so kind as to explain what in the world is going on with our family? We've all been feeling negative vibrations and our _alebrijes_ are more nervous than I have ever seen. Is everything in order on the other side? Is our great-great-grandson ok?" The small skeleton looked at various papers for a few minutes, then looked back at the Riveras and started explaining: "Well, _se_ _ñ_ _ora,_ as far as I can see..."

 Suddenly Imelda's hands flew to her head and she collapsed on the floor. At the same time, Dante gave an earsplitting howl outside. Immediately Héctor and Coco rushed to the fallen matriarch's side. " _Mi amor_ , what is it?! Talk to us!", Imelda's husband asked, the terror he had felt earlier running through his bones with renewed vigour. Imelda heard Mamá Elena's prayer in her head like a giant bell being rung. Then she came to herself again. "Miguel... He's missing! They can't find him anywhere in Santa Cecilia. They need our help!", she stuttered, breathing heavily. "If the boy can't be found, this usually employs the usage of a specific term: kidnapping.", the clerk reluctantly clarified. Rosita let out a little scream, Oscar, Julio and Felipe gasped, even Victoria, usually so stoic, was shocked. Coco started to sob quietly. Héctor doubled over and hugged himself tightly, eyes shut and shoulders shaking. His sweet great-great-grandson?! Who would dare to even touch a hair on his head? Why was fate always so cruel to their family?!

He felt like crying. Miguel kidnapped? He was scared and disturbed. What would they do to his boy? But his wife pulled herself up and cried out passionately: "We have to help them! We have to cross over now!" The clerk gave a deep sigh and lamented: "I'm sorry for this unfortunate event, I truly am, but there is no way for you to cross. The Flower Bridge activates on the Day of the Dead and on that day only. It's powerful ancient magic, it can't be overridden, it's been like this since our world exists. My deepest condolences, but you can't travel to the Land of the Living. There is nothing I can do for you..." Imelda retreated, a hand over her mouth, her expression was crushed. "Well, if there's nothing we can do...", said Oscar, taking off his hat. "... we will trouble you no longer. Apologies for taking up your time. _Vamos, chicos_...", Felipe completed his brother's sentence. "My apologies for not being able to help you.", the clerk muttered, sincerely regretful.

Crestfallen, the family stepped outside again. "I can't believe we can't help Miguel, after all he has done for us... ", Julio said, incredulous. "Me neither, but what can we do about it? We can't just summon the bridge by ourselves, can we?", Tía Victoria replied, a bit harsher than intended, but her voice was quietly shaking with despair. Suddenly, Rosita of all people seemed to have an idea. Her brown eyes widened like plates and she stammered: "Wait a minute, I might know what we can do..." Too dazed to really react, the family watched as Miguel's great-aunt turned on her heels and ran back to the clerk's office. Pepita and Dante joined them. The colourful jaguar snuggled up close to the Riveras, trying to give them warmth and hope where apparently there was none.

Miguel's trusty xolo dog curled up into a ball between Héctor's legs and winced loudly, his colours more subdued and darker than ever. His big eyes were shiny and rolling in their sockets. Minutes passed by in silence, when all of a sudden, Rosita burst out of the building, an archive in her skeletal hands. "I think...", she announced, "I found someone who could help us get to the Land of the Living..."

 END OF CHAPTER 2

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X

**Well, my darlings, this is going to wrap up Chapter 2 of Darkness and the Past!**

**Leave me a comment, as tiny as it may be, to give me green light and reassure me that such stories are worth continuing. (Maybe a hashtag #I'veReadThis?)**

**I've been thrown through a loop of stress and emotions these past few weeks and I haven't been enjoying it one bit, but brighter times are ahead.**

**Stay safe and loved, reader fam!**

**Your Yuna**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, well, who might that stranger be and what role will the girl from the graveyard play? Stay tuned, but patient... *looks nervously at mountain of stuff to review for exams and sweats* I'm having big plans ready in my machiavellious mind... *evil grin*

**Author's Note:**

> Now that was a twist you weren't expecting, were you? We've seen dozens of fics where Miguel stays in the Land of the Dead or dies *looking at you, EndlessExistentialCrisis...*, but there's still not many about the aftermath of the movie. So, I've decided to put a twist on Miguel dying and transformed it to him getting kidnapped, because I can? And I'm crazy. (Feels effect is the same, right?) I'm going to let you deal with your angst now, bye bye... *laughs maniacally and vanishes into the shadows*


End file.
